Baby Loves Disco - A Great Place for ... Adults!

It is hard to be a parent, or a kid, in an adult's world. Remember when you used to hang out and mingle at the restaurant's bar, or get your groove on at a club? If your baby is with you, many bars won't even serve you alcohol - and really, you probably shouldn't have your kid at a regular bar anyway. Going dancing at clubs is also out. The blaring music with questionable lyrics, lots of drunk people hanging around creating drama, and the crush of hundreds of bodies isn't conducive to a fun family night out.

Don't you wish there was a place where a kid can be a kid, and an adult can be an adult? Believe it or not, it exists! You may have read my previous post about Baby Loves Disco. I really can't say enough about it. In a nutshell: a real nightclub deep cleans and baby proofs its interior for an afternoon. Parents (and grandparents, too!) can bring kids ages 7 years and under to mingle. Older siblings and other children are also welcome, but everyone must realize that this event is planned with the 7 years and under crowd in mind. Parents mingling with other parents, kids mingling with other kids. It's the all important socialization that we need as human beings!

Kids
Look, bubbles! Wanna see how many you can catch? How about playing catch with a scarf, or playing with egg shakers? I know! Let's run around and see how many balloons there are! There are hoops and toys, pillows and stuffed animals, and I bet you'll meet lots of new friends in the play tents. How about a juice box and some crackers? I saw lots of healthy snacks at the bar. Wanna sit on the tall barstools like a big kid? You can munch away while mom or dad reads you a book. I saw rubber duckies on the tables, and aren't these kazoos funny? Or lets dance and dance and dance all afternoon!

Parents
This is your night out - during the day! No need to sacrifice important quality time with your baby-love. Are you worried about having to dress to impress? You're with other parents with their kids and it's a very casual setting. Many moms and dads arrive in shorts, sneakers, and Crocs. There are also the parents in dresses, dress shirts, heels and slacks. Wear what's comfortable for you, but remember that you're in a confined area with kids. Kids bring mess with them wherever they go. Are you worried about poopy pants? There are diaper changing stations in the restrooms as well as in the hall, and wet wipes and sanitizing liquid are provided.

Are your babies bouncing off the walls? Bring your kids and let them get their wiggles out on the dance floor. Are you missing your gym time? Get your booty out there, too, and shake and shimmy the calories off! The DJ is out there spinning and mixing for everybody. And while we all appreciate Skip to My Lou and The Wheels on the Bus, you won't find any kiddie songs here. Music selections are generally a mix of 70's, 80's, and some 90's hits.

And what's a dance club without your favorite drink in hand? There's a full bar available for the parents. Kick back with a cocktail while the little ones play with toys or in tents. Have some wine while your baby has cheese and crackers. And make sure you keep that security band tab in a safe place! When you enter the club, kids are given a numbered security band to wear on their ankle or their wrist. You keep the tab with matching numbers. Security checks everyone on the way out to make sure you've got the ticket to claim your baby. You know your baby is the greatest in the world. This way, other people looking to upgrade their kid won't be able to walk off with your little angel. It seems like the good people at Baby Loves Disco have thought of pretty much everything!

We were able to check out the Baby Loves Disco Valentine's Day Super Dance Party in San Diego. My little 17 month old boy had such a blast at Aubergine on 4th in the Gaslamp Quarter downtown. He danced and danced, and I have to say, I'm pretty proud of his groovy moves! But his favorite distractions were the bubble machine raining bubbles on the dance floor, and the play tents in the Chill Out Area. He doesn't have any siblings, so I was happy that he got to be around other kids. And my husband and I had a good time being out of the house. We had a couple of drinks each, and we were able to chat and mingle with others, and we had some great quality family time with our boy.

The great and innovative people at Baby Loves Disco really hit on something special here. Check out their website for more information and to check for a location near you. I have to say, given the great time we had, we'll definitely be attending more of these. It's parent friendly, kid friendly, entertaining, safe and easily accessible. I have to give Baby Loves Disco my highest rating. On a scale of 1 to 5, this is definitely a 5 Happy Babies event!


Get your tickets early! These events sell out!
Upcoming Baby Loves Disco events in SoCal:
Los Angeles: Saturday, April 5th at Social Hollywood
Orange County: Saturday, April 12th at Shark Club
San Diego: Sunday, April 13th at Aubergine on 4th

Foodie View: Vietnamese food in Chula Vista

I know people on the East Coast probably don't believe me, but winter does hit Southern California. No, we're not neck-deep in snow, but for us, the need for a sweater means it's freezing! You know when it's cold outside, and you're feeling chilly on the inside, and all you want is some good food to warm you up? That's where I was about a week or so ago, so we went to Pho Hiep and Grill, a Vietnamese restaurant.

Pho Hiep and Grill
543 Telegraph Canyon Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
(619) 482-8883
www.PhoHiepGrill.com

If you've never tried Vietnamese food, you're missing out on some great eats. Pho Hiep and Grill is a decent place for your first taste of Vietnamese cuisine. It's located in a shopping center on Telegraph Canyon Road, just off the 805 Freeway, and there's ample parking. Unlike many other pho restaurants which appear a little run down, this establishment is very clean and nicely decorated. Another plus, you have to request chopsticks as they are not kept out on the table. Much more sanitary! I don't mind asking for my chopsticks. I'm just happy a few hundred other people haven't touched, licked, and sneezed on them before I got there.

The food was fresh and tasty. Although we originally went to try the pho, we decided to order less soupy entrees so that we could easily share with our baby. We ordered Goi Cuon (spring rolls), Bun Thit Nuon Cha Gio (grilled pork and egg rolls over vermicelli rice noodles), and the Com Tam Hiep (Hiep's house special combo with rice, with a pork chop, chicken, shrimp, shredded pork, and Vietnamese-style steamed meatloaf). The spring rolls are large, you get two pieces cut in halves, served with peanut sauce. Ours were quite fresh, filled shrimp, pork, noodles, bean sprouts, and mint. A vegetarian option is also available. The bun (vermicelli noodle dish) and the com (rice dish) were enormous entrees, very flavorful and satisfying. Our 17 month old baby really enjoyed the steamed meatloaf and chicken with rice, although I found the very tender shredded pork to be the best part of the dish. The bun was such a large serving of noodles, meat, and vegetables, that we couldn't finish it. However, the grilled pork was excellent. It's marinated in a honey sauce and grilled over an open flame, and it comes out tender and savory. A perfect flavor complement to the noodles and sauce. For dessert, we ordered Che Hiep (Hiep's house special dessert), a sweet red bean mixture with shaved ice, coconut milk and tapioca, topped with crushed peanuts. Much like a red bean version of halo halo. It was delicious with a sweet/salty flavor, and the coconut milk adds the perfect creamy, tropical taste.

While the food is very good, and the location is easily accessible, I have to gripe a little about the service. The staff are very polite, but they seem disorganized, and one or two seemed to have some difficulty communicating in English. When we came in, we were seated promptly, and they brought us menus and a high chair for Mr. Baby. We had just started looking at the menus when two servers started placing food on our table. It took about four minutes for us to explain that we hadn't ordered anything yet, and this was not our food. Then we had to wait nearly 10 minutes for someone to show up to take our order. We also ordered iced Vietnamese coffee to go, but had to ask for it three times (no exaggeration). It seems our order was lost or forgotten the first two times, but it may have been simply due to confusion between the three different waiters who came to our table over the course of the evening. We also had to ask for our check more than once, and by the time we got it, we were more than ready to leave.

All things considered, it was still a good restaurant. They haven't been open long (since December '07 or January '08), which may account for the disorganization. However, it seems to have built a nice reputation fairly quickly. We arrived early in the evening, around 6pm, and tables were available. When we left, there was a lineup of customers out the door. The food is good and the portions are big. The menu is a good size with six appetizers, and 44 items for bun (vermicelli noodle), pho (noodle soup), and com (rice) entrees. The prices are reasonable; our dinner of 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, 2 desserts, and 3 iced coffees totaled around $40.

We had a good foodie experience, and it's a place we can go with our baby. I would definitely go back, and I while it's not the best Vietnamese food I've ever had, I would still recommend it as good eats. But you know me! I'm always on the hunt for Great Food. Any tips on really, truly Great Vietnamese Food hot spots?

My Baby Loves ... Baby Loves Disco!

Attention all parents with kids 7 years and under!

This past weekend we went to Baby Loves Disco in San Diego. If you haven't heard about it,

"Baby loves disco is an afternoon dance party featuring real music spun and mixed by real djs blending classic disco tunes From the 70s, & 80s guaranteed to get those little booties moving and grooving."

Don't misunderstand. This isn't an afternoon of kiddie songs or playing Ring Around the Rosie and Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. In a nutshell: a real nightclub cleans up and baby proofs it's rooms once a month, and parents with kids can come to mingle, dance to good music, and play for an afternoon.

The San Diego nightclub Aubergine on 4th, located in the Gaslamp Quarter, had a full bar available for the adults, juice boxes for the little ones, healthy snacks available for everyone, and a great DJ spinning tunes the entire time. There is a Chill Out Room for kids and parents to relax, there are games, books, toys and tents. There was even a room for adults to indulge in free 10 minute massages!

Our boy had a blast dancing under the bubble machine, playing with hoops, scarves, and egg shakers. There were kids and parents everywhere having a great time. What I especially liked was the kid friendliness of the place. Diaper changing stations, complete with wipes and sanitizing liquid were plentiful, there were areas to relax, away from the music, and areas to play. However, I was very impressed with security. When you enter the club, each child is given a numbered band to wear on their wrist or ankle, and parents keep a stub with matching numbers. You must present your matching stubs before leaving with a child. Not that I think people would mistakenly take the wrong kid, but I feel comforted with the added level of security.

Baby Loves Disco is for kids 6 months to 7 years of age, but older siblings are also welcome. Just keep in mind that the events are planned for the 7 and under age group. Check out the Baby Loves Disco website for a location near you. There are even spots popping up in the UK! Nothing in Canada yet, though. Hopefully, our neighbors to the north will hear about this and things will get going there as well! For my Southern California friends, click a link below:

Baby Loves Disco in San Diego
Aubergine on 4th
500 4th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 232-8100

Baby Loves Disco in Los Angeles
Social Hollywood
6525 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Baby Loves Disco in Orange County
Shark Club
841 Baker Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Foodie View: Hina's Thai-licious Weekend (Part I)

I think I've mentioned that I love great food. I am always on the hunt for great food. This past weekend, I had a major spice craving, and we went to two different Thai restaurants, one in San Diego and one in Los Angeles. Since we ate so much food, and since I love to rave about all the food I eat, I'm splitting my review into two separate posts.

Thai-licious in San Diego
Lanna Thai
4501 Mission Bay Drive
San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 274-THAI

Lanna Thai isn't a huge establishment, there are only about 15 tables, but it has a 4 1/2 star rating on Citysearch, so we decided to try it out. The location is a little odd; a restaurant/shopping corner in the middle of a street filled with car dealerships. It's flanked by a 7-11 on one side and a Planned Parenthood on the other, and there are other shops and restaurants towards the back. Parking is awful, with the small parking lot being shared between so many businesses, so you may have to park on the street.

Location and parking aside, this is a good restaurant with a comfortable atmosphere. The clientele is varied, and the decor is nice, adding to the warm, oriental ambiance. We arrived fairly early, there were several open tables and we were seated promptly, but I can see dinner reservations being a good idea, especially on the weekends. The service was very good, our waiter and waitress were quick and accommodating, although they demurred on making recommendations.

We started off with two appetizers, the Spinach Wrap and the Thai Spring Rolls. The spring rolls were alright, quite large and stuffed with veggies and noodles, but the Spinach Wrap was excellent! This is like any lettuce wrap that is available in so many restaurants, but using large, wide spinach leaves instead of lettuce. However, the filling really made this dish. In addition to the usual onion, lime, carrots, peanuts and your choice of shrimp or tofu, there was toasted coconut and fresh diced ginger. They added a sweet and spicy edge to the dish along with the aromatic herb sauce. We also ordered a bowl of the Hearty Soup, filled with tofu, spinach and noodles. While it was a substantial soup, it tasted rather salty.

Our entrees ranged from green and yellow curries to Pad See-Ew with assorted seafood. Everything was tasty, and the ingredients were very fresh. The Green Curry with Tofu, in particular, was a personal favorite. The tofu pieces were large, the spices were excellent and well balanced (no sharpness or bitterness which often comes with hot, spicy food), and the coconut milk made the dish savoury and rich, without being too sweet and creamy. The Yellow Curry with Tofu was fine, but seemed a bit on the too sweet side, and contained more potatoes than tofu. The Pad See-Ew with Assorted Seafood was a great dish. The noodles were wide and soft, and there was plenty of shrimp, squid and mussels.

If you care to try the cocktails, the Thai Iced Tea with vodka is pretty good, as is the Lanna-tini, a lychee martini. If you're sensitive to the taste of alcohol, go with the Lanna-tini. It's like drinking the best lychee juice you've ever tasted. For dessert we had the green tea ice cream. As a general rule, you can't go wrong with green tea ice cream as it is a well-liked flavor the world over. While the ice cream itself was fine, I didn't much care for the toasted black sesame seeds sprinkled on top. I can see how some people would enjoy the dark toasted taste with the clean green tea flavor. Unfortunately, to me it tasted a bit burnt and it added a dirty sort of taste.

Overall, this is a good restaurant. Their claim that they, "prepare to order cuisine, made from the finest spices and freshest ingredients," is not an empty boast. The food is fresh and delicious, and the prices are reasonable. For a party of five adults, ordering two appetizers and four entrees, we only spent about $130, including drinks. The food is available for take-out and delivery, and they are willing to accommodate large parties. The menu selection is decent, considering the size of the restaurant. However, while the food was tasty, I wasn't WOWed by anything. This is good Thai food (but not the elusive GREAT food), at a fair price. I would recommend Lanna Thai for anyone who enjoys authentic Thai food, and I would eat here again.

.....But I will continue on my quest for Great Thai food in San Diego.

Foodie View: Hina Goes Fishing In San Diego (On Land Of Course!)

Ahh, the great weather of San Diego, the zoo and parks and many dog-friendly areas! This place is great - that is, until I want to get some seafood. Now, I started trying out some of the "Best Of San Diego" restaurants, and I was consistently disappointed. Not just with the boring and limited menus, but with the substandard dishes and lousy service. Salmon isn't the only fish in the sea, people!

So, I went fishing at some other restaurants, and I have come up with a few winners. King's Fish House is a big champion with several locations to choose from, and they're reasonably priced. Lots of dishes in the $12 - $20 range. I'm impressed with the quality of their food. FRESH! They print out their menus twice a day to reflect what they've got in stock. I highly recommend the Cold Seafood Combo. (For those of you counting calories, this is a low cal, low fat, high protein tummy pleaser!) Insider tip: If you like things a little spicy, ask your server for some of the Atomic Horseradish they keep in the back. It's great on the oysters, and I even put it in the Spicy Seafood Chowder. I've gotten great service every time I go. My only lament is the Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake. Nice and chocolatey, but way over-sweet. (Of course, if you have a cup of coffee with it, everything works itself out.) King's is also family friendly, which is now fairly important to me. My boy got an activity booklet (not just a one page paper place mat), some crayons, and his own cup with a lid and straw. The kid's menu is good for kids, and Mr. Baby seemed to enjoy feeding himself his fish and chips.

My next find is Osetra, The Fishhouse in the Gaslamp Quarter. They're a little on the pricey side of my pocket, which is why it took me some time to make my way there. The cheapest entree on the menu is $28. First, they've got an oyster bar, and that's always a plus in my eyes. I had the Baked Oysters with masago cream sauce. They were rich and creamy and tender ... yummm ... Oh, and don't pass off the salad in the middle as just a garnish. Eat it all! Aside from being healthy veggies, it's very tasty with a fruity dressing. I would also recommend the Stuffed Shrimp. Three jumbo shrimp loaded with lobster, crab, and scallops. I couldn't finish it, but I made a valiant effort! The wine list here is very extensive (pages and pages and pages), and it's fun to sit at the bar and watch people scaling the three story wine tower. The Chocolate Passion dessert is one of the best. it's very moist and has hazelnut cream, and the ganache isn't insanely thick and dense. It's a rich, yet light chocolate cake. I'm going back for more.

I have also been searching for ages for a Great Sushi Restaurant in San Diego. Now before I get hit with lists of sushi places in San Diego, keep in mind that I'm looking for Great Sushi. Mediocre sushi need not apply. I'm not looking for a nightclub that serves spicy tuna rolls. I don't want a place where the rolls are smeared with cream cheese and avocado, dipped in tempura batter, fried in fat, and drenched in super sweet eel sauce. If the fish menu is limited to salmon, tuna, and eel, or if I can't SEE the chefs preparing my food, then it is NOT Great Sushi. I want a place with a variety of seafood. I want to sit down at the bar and ask my chef what's fresh today. I want to eat some Great Sushi!

..... And I did. At Taka Sushi, also in the Gaslamp Quarter. My husband took me here for our anniversary. We sat at the sushi bar and ordered omakase for two. Our chef very politely asked if there was anything we didn't eat, then proceeded to craft a spectacular dinner! I highly (oh so highly!) recommend the ankimo (monk fish liver), and the uni (sea urchin roe). We started off with ankimo, and it was sooooo rich and velvety. A good omen for the rest of the meal. If you've ever eaten old uni, you know how quickly your gag reflex works. Conversely, if you've eaten really good, really fresh uni, you know how the mental image alone makes you salivate like Pavlov's dog. This uni was very fresh and very buttery. All the fish we tried (including aji (Spanish mackerel), kanpachi (amberjack), toro (fatty tuna - way yummy!) and several others) were very fresh and tasty. I personally believe, for health as well as taste, that freshness should be at the top of your list when eating sushi and sashimi. I was happily surprised by the price. We left totally stuffed after consuming tons of food and a bottle of sake. Our bill was about $150. Taka Sushi is truly a Great Sushi restaurant.

I'm still fishing for more great seafood. Anyone have any bites for me?